Nicky Hayden happy with Ohlins forks and is ready to go racing

Ducati rider Nicky Hayden is eagerly anticipating the chance to put on his Dainese leathers and go racing this weekend.

The 2011 MotoGP season finally begins on Sunday (March 20th) with the Qatar Grand Prix.

After a number of pre-season tests involving work on the Ohlins forks in a bid to carry more speed through the corners, the 2006 world champion is keen to get out and do some real racing in his Dainese leathers.

Having made some successful changes to the bike's set-up, Hayden believes this is one of the most competitive MotoGP fields in a long time.

"Everyone is really tight on times and I think that's pretty cool. I like how competitive it is and we know it's going to be like that all season," he said.

Hayden has a new teammate this season: nine-time champion Valentino Rossi, who has joined from Yamaha.